This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from an application for MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF CAMA INTERFACE IN PCX SYSTEM earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Mar. 14, 1998 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 8659/1998.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to maintenance and repair of a processor being an interface between an mobile switching center (MSC) and other centers in a personal communication service exchange (PCX) system, and in particular, to a method of maintaining and repairing an interface between an mobile switching center (MSC) and a centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) center in a personal communication service exchange (PCX) system in order to enable reliable communication and data transmission between the mobile switching center (MSC) and the centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) center.
2. Description of the Related Art
A charging method employed in a mobile switching center (MSC) tends to shift from local automatic message accounting (LAMA) to centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA). In the former, charging data is periodically transferred by an operator, while in the latter, charging data files are periodically extracted from a mobile switching center (MSC) and automatically transmitted on-line to a collector in a centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) center to thereby enable automatic and daily accounting.
The mobile switching center (MSC) offers the telecommunication management network (TMN) function of managing and processing various messages generated from the mobile switching center (MSC). The telecommunication management network (TMN) function is performed in a telecommunication management network (TMN) center separately procured and connected to the mobile switching center (MSC).
Both the centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) and telecommunication management network (TMN) functions are performed in separately procured centers, and an interface is formed between the mobile switching center (MSC) and the centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) and telecommunication management network (TMN) centers. This interface is a mediation device or a workstation called charging data transmit processor (CDTP) or telecommunication management network processor (TMNP). The mediation device receives charging data and statistics from a mobile switching center (MSC) and converts corresponding information in the form allowing analysis in the centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) and telecommunication management network (TMN) centers, so that service quality can be increased.
However, possible abnormal operation of the charging data transmit processor (CDTP) or telecommunication management network processor (TMNP) can cause serious damage to the mobile switching center (MSC). Due to the resulting loss and errors of charging data, the centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) or telecommunication management network (TMN) center cannot identify the correct status of the mobile switching center (MSC), thereby making it difficult to reliably operate the mobile switching center (MSC).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,798 to Madebrink et al., entitled RECONFIGURATION IN A CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, discloses a method and apparatus for performing reconfiguration of a cellular network. It is disclosed that cell parameters of affected mobile switching centers in the network are copied to a database, and the copied parameters are stored. A set of proposed changes to the stored parameters are prepared and the consistency of the prepared set of proposed changes is verified. It is disclosed that any necessary alterations to the set of proposed changes responsive to the verification are made and the verified set of proposed changes are copied to the affected mobile switching centers, and the verified set of proposed changes are then introduced into the network. Additionally, at all times, an up-to-date image of all the cell parameters in all the mobile switching centers in the network is maintained in a system parameter database.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,617 to McLain Jr., entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMULATING A DIGITAL CROSS-CONNECT SWITCH NETWORK, discloses a method and apparatus for emulating a digital cross-connect (DXC) network fully tests a telecommunication network monitoring and control system (MSC). The communication and behavior of a digital cross-connect switching network are disclosed to be emulated in the presence and absence of selected network configuration, failures, and/or normalizations. A communication module communicates with the MCS through emulator control links using a communications protocol substantially identical to a communications protocol used in the emulated digital cross-connect network. A configuration database is disclosed to store configuration data representing the current behavior of the DXC nodes, and a topology database is disclosed to store topology data representative of the topology of the emulated DXC network. An emulator message generator generates messages emulating communications from DXC nodes to the MCS. It is disclosed that an emulator link selector further selects an enabled emulator control link depending upon whether respective emulated network control links are enabled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,286 to McLain Jr. et al., entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMULATING A DYNAMICALLY CONFIGURED DIGITAL CROSS-CONNECT SWITCH NETWORK, discloses a method and apparatus for emulating a digital cross-connect switching (DXC) network, such as a DXC I/O network, fully tests a telecommunication network monitoring and control system (MCS). It is disclosed that the communication and behavior of a DXC network at the channel level are emulated in the presence and absence of selected network node and trunk configurations, failures, and/or normalizations. A communication module communicates with the MCS through emulator control links using a communications protocol substantially identical to a communications protocol used in the emulated digital cross-connected network. Configuration data is disclosed to represent the current behavior of the DXC nodes. Topology data is disclosed to trace logical trunks or channels through adjacent DXC nodes, and to further include port provision data identifying the allocation of channels for cross-connected ports at DXC nodes. It is also disclosed that additional DXC nodes and/or trunks can be added or deleted from the topology data during pre-processing or emulator operation to test different postulated network designs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,064 to Foti, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DYNAMIC ALLOCATION OF REDUNDANT PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT GATEWAYS IN A RADIO TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, discloses a radio telecommunications network for providing redundant interfaces from a mobile switching center (MSC) to an associated voice mail system (VMS). The radio telecommunications network is disclosed to include a first peripheral equipment gateway (PEG-1) connected to the VMS, wherein the PEG-1 provides a first interface between the VMS and the radio telecommunications network, and a second peripheral equipment gateway (PEG-2) connected to the VMS, wherein the PEG-2 provides a second interface between the VMS and the radio telecommunications network. It is disclosed that the MSC receives and routes an incoming call from a mobile station requesting voice mail retrieval, and a home location register (HLR) simultaneously sends routing request messages to PEG-1 and PEG-2, and includes an indication that the routing request messages are for voice mail retrieval. It is further disclosed that PEG-1 and PEG-2 return routing numbers for the VMS to the HLR. The HLR receives at least one routing number for the VMS, and the MSC delivers the incoming call to the VMS utilizing the first routing number received in the HLR.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,689 to McLain Jr., entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EMULATING A DIGITAL CROSS-CONNECT SWITCH NETWORK USING A FLEXIBLE TOPOLOGY TO TEST MCS NETWORK MANAGEMENT, discloses a method and apparatus for emulating a digital cross-connect switching (DXC) network fully tests a telecommunication network monitoring and control system (MCS). The communication and behavior of a DXC network are emulated in the presence and absence of selected network node and trunk configurations, failures, and/or normalizations. It is disclosed that a communication module communicates with the MCS through emulator control links using a communications protocol substantially identical to a communications protocol used in the emulated digital cross-connect network. A configuration database is disclosed to store configuration data representing the current behavior of the DXC nodes, and a topology database is disclosed to store flexible topology data identifying trunks through adjacent DXC nodes. Changes to trunk connections can be made without knowledge of intermediate site and equipment topology details to test many network scenarios. It is disclosed that an emulator message generator generates messages emulating communications from DXC nodes to the MCS. An emulator link selector further selects an enabled emulator control link depending upon whether respective emulated network control links are enabled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,115 to Valentine et al., entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING DIFFERENT TERMINATING CALL TREATMENTS BASED ON SERVICE AREA, discloses a routing address representing an alternative terminal assigned to a particular service area. Such a service area comprises a local access and transport area (LATA), mobile switching center (MSC) area, location area, and cell area. It is disclosed that whenever an incoming call is received towards a mobile station currently located within the particular service area, instated of transmitting a routing address representing the mobile station, the service mobile switching center (MSC) transmits a signal containing the routing address representing the alternative terminal. Instead of routing the call to the intended mobile station, the gateway mobile switching center (GMSC) is disclosed to utilize the received routing address and reroutes the incoming call to the alternative terminal. It is also disclosed that by rerouting all incoming calls towards the alternative terminal in case of an emergency, all available access channels are reserved for making outgoing calls by the mobile subscribers located within the emergency service area.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of maintaining and repairing an interface between an mobile switching center (MSC) and a centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) center in a personal communication service exchange (PCX) system in order to enable reliable communication and data transmission between the mobile switching center (MSC) and the centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) center by detecting a possible problem involved in charging data transmission from the mobile switching center (MSC) to a charging data transmit processor (CDTP) in an early stage and taking rapid measures against the problem.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a method of maintaining and repairing a charging data transmit processor (CDTP) being an interface between a centralized automatic message accounting (CAMA) center and a mobile switching center (MSC) having a mobile switching center main processor status handler (MSC MPSH) for status handling and control of a processor thereof and a lower-level processor in a personal communication service exchange (PCX) system. In the method, the mobile switching center main processor status handler (MSC MPSH) periodically sends a status handling signal to the charging data transmit processor (CDTP) by interprocessor communication (IPC), and it is determined whether the mobile switching center main processor status handler (MSC MPSH) receives a response signal from the charging data transmit processor (CDTP). If the charging data transmit processor (CDTP) is determined to be abnormal, an alarm is generated to the mobile switching center (MSC), and a message indicating an abnormality is output to the mobile switching center (MSC) if the mobile switching center main processor status handler (MSC MPSH) receives no response signal from the charging data transmit processor (CDTP).